Printing or decoration of ceramic or other ware



June 5, 1956 G. 1.. MURRAY 2,748,696

PRINTING OR DECORATION OF CERAMIC OR OTHER WARE Filed Jxine 10, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIII Inventor GUY LESLIE HURRAI June 5, 1956 G. L.MURRAY 2,748,696

PRINTING OR DECORATION OF CERAMIC OR OTHER WARE Filed June 10, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 L 2 .\\\wk=v 3? H15. 11. Elia/7m, Fm. i2.

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W 6 31 fi 'f 20 3 20k I 38 FJEQ J50 Inventor GU! LESLIE IURRAY y 2% mfgAttorney United States Patent PRINTING OR DECORATIDN ()F CERAMIC OROTHER WARE Guy'Leslie Murray, Cheltenham, England; Lilian Murray andBasil Guy Murray, executors of the estate of said Guy Leslie Murray,deceased Application June It), 1952, Serial No. 292,689 2 Claimspriority, application Great Britain June 13, 1951 6 Claims. (Cl. 101-41)This invention relates to the printing or decorating of ceramic or otherware such for example as articles of glass or plastics.

In the decoration of ceramic ware, particularly fine china andearthenware, it is the usual practice tomake a thin paper transfer froman engraved, litho or etched plate which transfer is applied to thearticle so that it closely follows the contour or profile of the latter.The transfer is then rubbed in to transfer the colour which it has takenfrom the engraved or etched plate to the article whereafter the transferpaper is washed off to leave a finished printed design on the article oran outline for the guidance of the decorator or artist. The foregoingare separate processes all carried out by hand.

. The main object of the present invention is to provide a method ofprinting or decorating ceramic Ware which will obviate the use of paperor other transfers in the printing process. A further object is toprovide a process which will also be applicable in the printing ordecoration of other goods such as glass and plastic ware.

In accordance with the invention the colour is transferred from anengraved, litho, or etched plate to the article to be printed ordecorated by means of a resilient fiat or profiled pad which is firstpressed against the engraved or etched plate to extract the colourtherefrom and then against the article to cause the design or othermatter to be printed thereon. As will be well understood, the design mayconstitute the final printing or decoration of the article or it may bean outline for the guidance of a decorator or artist.

The invention may be applied to the printing or decoration of ceramicware by underglaze printing, the design or other matter being producedon the article in the biscuit-ware stage, i. e. after it has left thebiscuit-oven. If desired, however, the printing may be effected in thegloss stage of the article in an overglaze printing process.

The method of carrying the invention into effect will now be described,by Way of example with reference to the accompanying diagramaticdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an illustration of one form of the resilient pad-insideelevation in position to be pressed against the engraved, litho oretched plate, the deformation which the pad undergoes in extracting thecolour from the design on the plate being shown in chain-dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the engraved, litho or etched plate,

Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 but illustrating the resilientpad in chain-dotted lines in its normal position and in full linespressed against the article to be printed,

Figures 4 and 5 are views of engraved, litho or etched plates havingdesign areas of different shapes from that illustrated in Figure 2,

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevation and vertical sectionof other forms of resilient pad, Figure 6 also illustrating an articleto be printed or decorated,

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate further forms of resilient pad in verticalsection,

Figure 10 illustrates the operation of the resilient pad in printing ordecorating convex outer surfaces,

Figures 11 and 1-2 are part-sectional side elevations of a resilient padand means for controlling the radial spread of the pad under pressure,the parts being illustrated, together with an article to be printed ordecorated, in the positions occupied before application of pressure andon maximum pressure application respectively,

Figure 11a is a fragmentary view, corresponding to Figure 11, of analternative form of spread-controlling device,

Figures 13 and 14 are similar views to Figures 11 and 12 butillustrating a fixed guide mounting for a resilient pad which slidesrelatively to the guide when pressure is applied to press the padagainst the article to be printed, and

Figure 15 illustrates a resilient pad provided with a fixed guide asshown in Figures 13 and 14 and employed to print or decorate theinterior concave surface of an article.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the resilient pad 20 is of substantiallyparaboloidal shape and is attached, for example by adhesion, to a baseplate 21 through which pressure is applied to the pad, such pressurebeing applied along the axis of the parabolid in the direction of thearrow. The pad is of any suitable resilient material possessing theproperty of being able to take up the colour from the usual plate 22bearing the design to be printed and impart it to the surface of thearticle 23 by pressure application in each case and being sufficientlyresilient to conform to the shape or contour of the article. Organic,vegetable or mineral jelly, for example a gelatine or gelatine-basedmaterial, has been found to be suit able for the purpose.

As shown in Figure 1, the application of progressively 1 increasingaxial pressure'to the pad causes progressively increasing radial spreadof the latter, the surface of which rolls over the surface of the plate22 bearing .the design. Such design is formed in intaglio on the plateand may be produced thereon by an convenient engraving, lithographic oretching process, such plate being hereinafter referred to as an engravedplate which term is intended to include plates produced by any suitablelithographic, etching or other processes as well as hand engravedplates. In the position of maximum pressure, for example that indicatedby the chain-dotted lines in Figure l, the periphery of the section 1 ofthe pad has just made contact with the plate 22 and, due to theaforesaid radial spread, such periphery generates a bounding line 1 ofan area of the surface of the plate. Between the full-line or'nopressure position of the pad and the chain-dotted or maximum pressureposition already mentioned it will be appreciated that there is aninfinite number of inter mediate pressure positions in which theperipheries of increasingly large sections of the pad generate thebounding lines of increasingly large areas of the surface of the plate.By way of example six pad sections are indicated by the referencenumerals '1 6 in Figure 1 whilethe bounding linesof the areas of theplate-surface generated by the peripheries of such sections .arelikewise indicated by the same reference numerals 1 6, 'the periphery ofsection 6 generating the bounding line 6, that of the section 5theboundingline 5 and'so on.

On reference to Figure 2 it will be seen that the do sign 24 engraved onthe surface of the plate .22 lies wholly within the area of the boundingline 1. After ap: plication of the paint or ink to the plate22 andremoval of the superfluous material from the plane portion of thesurface of the latter in the usual manner, for example with' the aid ofa doctor blade, the plate is placed beneath the resilient pad 20 and thelatter ispresse'd thereagainst through the various stages represented bythe reference numerals 6 1 in Figure l. to take up the complete designtherefrom. When the pad is withdrawn from the plate in the oppositedirection to the arrow the design 24 is deposited in colour on itssurface in the same relative formation. The pad is then pressed againstthe upper surface of the article 23 and undergoes whatever deformationis necessary to conform to the contour or profile of the article so thatthe complete design is applied to the surface of the latter which isrequired to be printed.

As illustrated in Figure 3 the article 23 is an article of ceramic ware,such as a plate or saucer, which is to be printed or decorated both inthe trough and also on the flange or rim, and accordingly the paint orink applied to the plate 22 and extracted therefrom by the pad 20 is aceramic paint or ink. Assuming an underglaze printing or decoratingprocess is being carried out, the article 23 to be printed or decoratedwill be in the biscuit-Ware stage, i. e. in the state in which it leavesthe biscuit-oven. Accordingly, due to the fragility of the article inthis stage, it is mounted in a resilient support or bed 25 which may beof the same material as that of which the pad 20 is made so that as thelatter is pressed against the article 23 equilisation of the pressureson both sides of the article is ensured whereby the risk of breakingeven the most fragile ware is obviated. As the pad 20 is pressed againstthe article 23 it undergoes deformation, as shown in full lines inFigure 3, and closely follows all profiles, contours, reverse curvaturesand the like which may be present between the trough and the flange orrim of the article, depositing the design which it has extracted fromthe plate 22 on the surface of the article 23 by means of the samebounding lines 6 1 thereon by an accurate generating process, andforcing the paint or ink into the pores of the article at high pressure.

It will be seen that the design 24 in Figure 2 covers a roughly circulararea of the plate 22 and that the bounding lines 1 6 in that figure areaccordingly circles. In such case, and assuming the article 23 to besubstantially circular in plan form, the pad 20 of Figures l and 3 maybe a paraboloid of revolution about its axis. However, if ware of otherthan substantially circular shape is to be printed or decorated, forexample articles of substantially oval or rectangular shape, the designson the plate 22 may cover roughly oval or rectangular areas, as shown bythe series of bounding lines 1 6 in Figures 4 and 5 respectively, andthe resil ient pad may be correspondingly a paraboloid of substantiallyoval or rectangular shape in plan form, i. e. the sections 1. 6 of thepad may be respectively oval or rectangular in shape.

If desired the resilient pad 20 may be applied by hand although usuallya mechanical, hydraulic, compressed air or electric press is used tobring the pad down with the article 23 held in the suitably located andpreferably profiled support or bed 25. In this way the necessary uniformsupport is provided for the ware so that, despite the fragility of thelatter, it does not break under the pressing operation.

It is found in practice that the design is perfectly reproduced on thesurface of the article 23, or at least as perfectly as is at presentaccomplished with the aid of paper transfers, the pad 20 beingsufficiently resilient to conform to any reverse curvatures formed byornamental ribs or other projections or hollows on the ware. Afterprinting, the ware is either finished or ready for the decorator orartist before the article goes to the oven for the final glazingprocess. By means of the process described underglaze printing iseffected without the use of paper or other transfers as commonly used inthe decoration or printing of ceramics and without having recourse tosilk screen or other methods of printing.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the alternative forms of resilient padillustrated therein comprise a substantially paraboloidal portion 20awhich merges into a wider base portion 20b by which the pad 20 isattached to the base plate 21 as already described. The pad is thus ofprofiled form but it will be noted that the outline or profile of thepad 20 when undeformed is not identical with the profiled surface of thearticle 26 to be printed or decorated, as shown in Figure 6, thisarrangement ensuring that no air pockets are formed between the surfacesof the resilient pad and the article when axial pressure is applied tothe pad in the direction of the arrow, as already described. The padsillustrated in Figures 6 and 7 may be paraboloids of revolution abouttheir axes or they may be of other than circular shape in plan form asalready described with reference to Figures 1 and 3. If desired the padmay be formed with a hollow base or cavity 27, as shown in Figure 7,such cavity being of suitable shape to assist the deformation underpressure of the operative profiled surface of the pad.

In Figures 8 and 9 resilient pads comprising separate resilientlaminations are illustrated, the laminations 20c, 20d respectivelyforming the operative surfaces of the pads being made, for example, ofmore resilient material than the base portions 20a, 20] by which thecomposite pads 20 are attached to the base plates 21. Alternatively, forcertain classes of work, the laminations 20c, 20d may be of material oflesser resilience than that of the portions 20a.

Figure 10 illustrates the use of a resilient pad 20 of substantiallyparaboloidal shape attached to a base 21 for printing or decorating theconvex outer surface of a substantially cylindrical article 28, such forexample as a cup or bowl.

Referring to Figures 11 and 12, the pad 20 of substantially paraboloidalshape is attached to a base plate 21 as already described, and the baseplate also carries means for controlling the radial spread of the pad 20under pressure. Such means consist of a pressure ring 29 of metal orother suitable material which surrounds the portion of the pad nearestthe base plate and compels the material of the pad to flow in therequired direction by restraining the pad from swelling unduly near thebase plate 21. As illustrated in Figure 12, which shows the pad underdeformation in its position of maximum pressure, the pressure ring 29enables much larger areas of article 30 to be printed or decorated, andat reduced pressures, whereby the life of the pad 20 is extended. Ifdesired, the pressure ring 29 may also carry adjustable stops 31 whichaccurately control the downward movement of the pad on to the article 30to be printed or decorated and determine the maximum pressure limit byengagement with the bed 32 upon which the article 30 is supported duringthe printing or decorating operation. Instead of the pressure ring 29being cylindrical it may conform closely to the periphery of the portionof the pad nearest the base plate 21, as shown at 29a in Figure 11a, sothat the base portion of the pad is encased in the metal or other ring.

Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a resilient pad 20 having a profiledoperative surface 2011 and mounted so as to be pressed against thesurface of the article 33 to be printed or decorated by sliding movementin a fixed cylindrical guide 34 in the direction of the arrow. The pad20 is attached to a base plate 21, as already described, and is alsoprovided with a cylindrical surround or lining 35 which slides with thepad during pressure application so that the pad does not itself bearagainst the cylindrical guide 34, whereby the useful life of the pad isextended. The lining 35 may be of linoleum or like material and ispreferably longitudinally split to enable the pad to swell freely whenit emerges beyond the cylindrical guide 34 to apply pressure to thearticle 33, as shown in Figure 14, the pad 20 being sheathed by theguide 34 when in its inoperative position. The cylindrical guide 34 maybe attached to any suitable rigid and fixed member-or cylinder 36 asshown in the drawing.

In Figure a resilient pad is illustrated attached to a base plate 21 andmounted for slidable movement within acylindrical guide 34, as before.In this embodiment however such cylindrical guide 34 fixedly carries acylindrical lining element 37 of any suitable material within which thepad 20 slides during the printing or decorating operation. The pad issubstantially cylindrical in shape with a rounded operative end 20k,this form of pad being particularly suitable for printing the interiorconcave surface of an article 38 which is cupor bowl-like in form. Whenpressure is applied to the base plate 21 to press the pad axially in thedirection of the arrow the pad first prints the design on thesubstantially flat bottom portion of the article 38 and then by radialspread of the pad completes the printing of the design upon the concavewall portions of the article, the pad conforming exactly to the interiorshape of the article 38 under axial pressure.

It will be understood that, although the invention lends itself tooutline work in one colour, it can be readily applied to multi-colourwork. In fact, in the application of the process to ceramic, glass orplastic ware which may only require a stoving process after the printingoperation, the printed pattern need not be merely an outline but mayconstitute the finished singleor multi-colour design or decoration ofthe final product.

It will also be appreciated that, with the various forms of resilientpad described, the engraved plate 22 need not be of the substantiallyplane form illustrated in Figure l; cylindrical or other curved platesmay be used since the resilient pad will conform by deformation to thesurface of the plate to extract the design therefrom in the same manneras has been described when pressure is applied by the resilient pad inthe printing or decoration of the article.

I claim:

1. A process for the decoration of ceramic articles and other warehaving a surface to be decorated which is curved and contoured, whichcomprises pressing a substantially solid resilient pad having a smoothconvex operative surface the radius of curvature of which is less thanthat of the article to be decorated against an engraved surface of aplate while allowing radial spread of the convex surface of the pad overthe engraved surface of said plate to extract the design therefrom andthen pressing said resilient pad against an article of ware to bedecorated while allowing radial spread of the pad over said curved andcontoured surface of the article to print the design thereon duringwhich printing process said pad, owing to its resilience, undergoeswhatever deformation is necessary to conform to the curvature andcontour of said surface of the article.

2. A process for the decoration of ceramic articles and other warehaving a curved surface, which comprises pressing a resilient pad havinga smooth, convex operative surface of smaller radius of curvature thanthat of the surface of said article against an engraved plate whileallowing radial spread of the convex surface of the pad over theengraved surface of said plate to extract the design therefrom, and thenpressing said operative surface of the resilient pad against the curvedsurface of the article while again allowing radial spread of the padover said surface to print the design thereon.

3. A process for the decoration of ceramic articles and like ware havinga surface to be decorated which is curved and contoured, comprisingpressing a resilient pad having a substantially paraboloidal gelatinousbody which, at least at the center, has a radius of curvature smallerthan that at the center of the article to be decorated, against anengraved plate to extract the design from the engraved surface of thelatter by pressure applied along the axis of the paraboloid whileallowing radial spread of thepad withthe peripheries of sections ofthepad normal'to said axis and of increasingly large areageneratingboundinglines of correspondingly larger areas of the engravedsurface of the plate due to'such radial spread, and subsequentlypressing said resilient pad against said curved and contoured surface ofthe article, while again allowing radial spread of the pad andequalising the pressures on both sides of the article at all pointsthrough its area by cushioning the article upon a resilient bed, todevelop the design on said curved and contoured surface by means of thesame bounding lines by an accurate generating process.

4. A process for the decoration of ceramic articles and other warehaving a surface to be decorated which is curved and contoured, whichcomprises pressing a resilient pad having a smooth convex operativesurface of smaller radius of curvature than that of the surface of thearticle to be decorated against an engraved plate while allowing radialspread of said convex operative surface over an engraved surface of saidplate to extract the design therefrom, and subsequently pressing saidoperative surface of the resilient pad against said curved and contouredsurface of the article, while equalising the pressures on both sides ofthe article at all points throughout its area by cushioning the articleupon a resilient bed and again allowing radial spread of the pad oversaid surface of the article to print the design thereon.

5. A process for the decoration of ceramic articles and other warehaving a surface to be decorated which is curved and contoured, whichcomprises pressing a solid resilient pad having a smooth curvedoperative surface, and the polar portion at least of which issubstantially paraboloidal and of smaller radius of curvature than thatof said surface of the article, against an engraved plate to extract thedesign from the engraved surface of the latter by pressure applied tothe pad while allowing radial spread of the latter with the peripheriesof sections of the pad normal to the direction of said pressure and ofincreasingly large area generating bounding lines of correspondinglylarger areas of the engraved surface of the plate due to such radialspread, subsequently pressing the operative surface of said resilientpad against said curved and contoured surface of the article, whileagain allowing radial spread of said pad and equalising the pressures onboth sides of the article at all points throughout its area bycushioning the article upon a resilient bed, to deposit thereon thedesign, which it has extracted from said plate, by means of the samebounding lines by an accurate generating process, and restraining thepad from swelling unduly at the portion thereof remote from said curvedsurface only during the final stages of the pressing operation in orderto control said radial spread of the pad and compel the material of thepad to flow in the required direction during said pressing operation.

6. A process for the decoration of ceramic articles and other warehaving a curved surface, which comprises pressing a resilient pad havinga smooth, convex operative surface, the polar portion at least of whichis substantially paraboloidal in shape and of a smaller radius ofcurvature than that of the central portion of the curved surface of thearticle, against an engraved plate while allowing radial spread of theconvex surface of the pad over the engraved surface of said plate toextract the design therefrom, and then pressing said operative surfaceof the resilient pad against the curved surface of the article whileagain allowing radial spread of the pad to develop said convex operativesurface over said curved surface of the article to print the designthereon.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Howell Aug. 7, 1917 Walters Aug. 23, 1927Talbot Jan. 24, 1928 Simonton Apr. 19, 1938 Rowell July 26, 1938 8Pattison May 28, 1940 Keller Aug. 28, 1945 Emerson Jan. 10, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS Great Britain Oct. 20, 1947 Great Britain Nov. 22, 1950

